Technology has been the pacing element of change in energy production and use. Fueled by confidence that technological development alone would suffice as an energy policy, the social implications of energy decisions continue to be bypassed. In light of recent events, even the most committed advocates of energy technofixes have been forced to recognize that the social impact of energy choice can no longer be disregarded. The debate over energy technologies needs to be viewed in the context of the general issues surrounding the relationship between technology and social change. The choice of energy technologies is a choice about social futures. This volume is devoted to the relationship between technology and energy choice. The contributors to the volume all emphasize the centrality of social issues in determining the desirability and feasibility of energy futures.
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